Endodontic re-treatment or implants: a contemporary conundrum

In recent years, dental implants have become a common alternative in dental care. Of course, not all patients present with clear-cut treatment needs. Treatment planning an endodontically treated tooth that may require re-treatment vs extracting that same tooth and placing an implant may be one such conundrum. Given the disparity between the implant and endodontic re-treatment literature and the relative paucity of data-based results for indications and contraindications of endosseous root-form implants vs endodontic re-treatment, treatment planning can become a complex task. This article presents a few criteria to consider when treatment planning endodontic re-treatment vs extraction and subsequent implant placement. Because treatment planning can become such a complex issue, using all the varied resources of the dental team is imperative.